Japan reaffirms island status of Okinotori amid China dispute

Japan has rejected China’s assertion that Okinotori is merely a “rock,” reaffirming its status as an island under international law and Tokyo’s sovereignty over the remote outpost.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara described Beijing’s position as “groundless,” stating that Okinotori meets the criteria of an island under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and is therefore entitled to an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

Kihara added that Japan has maintained effective control over the territory since 1931.

The comments came after China questioned Japan’s entitlement to an exclusive economic zone surrounding Okinotori, following live-fire exercises conducted by a Chinese destroyer approximately 180 km southwest of the atoll. Japan’s Defence Ministry said it was the first such activity recorded in the area.

Okinotori, located about 1,700 km south of Tokyo, is Japan’s southernmost point. The coral atoll is largely submerged at high tide, with only two reinforced sections remaining above water.

By Tamilla Hasanova